Removable jewel support device

ABSTRACT

A removable jewel support device with an ornamental element ( 3 ) supported by a hooking element ( 4 ) has a stem ( 4   a ) and a bulge ( 4   b ); the device ( 1 ) includes a first housing ( 5 ) for accommodating an O-ring ( 7 ) to lock the stem ( 4   a ) in a support condition (S) of the jewel ( 2 ). The device ( 1 ) includes:
         a base ( 10 ) having the first housing ( 5 ) with a rear opening ( 8 ) externally surrounded by a second housing ( 9 );   a fixing element ( 11 ) inserted in the first housing has a front hole ( 12   a ) and a rear hole ( 12   b ) with the O-ring ( 7 ) enclosed inside.       

     In an assembly condition (A) the stem ( 4   a ) is inserted into the fixing element ( 11 ) passing from the front hole ( 12   a ), through the O-ring ( 7 ) and the rear hole ( 12   b ) until the bulge ( 4   b ) protrudes, at least partially, from the rear opening ( 8 ) into a support condition (S).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is part of the jewelry and costume jewelry field and in particular it refers to a removable jewel support device.

PRIOR ART

A known removable jewel support device comprises a housing, provided with a peripheral internal groove in which an elastic ring, so-called O-ring, is inserted. The precious element, for example consisting of one or more elements chosen among precious stone, pearl, precious or non-precious metal element, is supported by a stem whose free end has a bulge.

The jewel is then assembled by inserting the bulge into the housing of the jewel support device by forcibly passing the stem through the O-ring which locks it in cooperation with the bulge, thus fixing the precious element to the support device of the jewel itself.

Patent JP3079184B1 discloses a removable jewel support device with the latter essentially consisting of an ornamental device supported by at least one hooking element provided with a stand and a bulge; said device comprises at least a first housing for receiving an O-ring assigned to lock the stand in a support condition of the jewel element by the device and it comprises a base having the first housing which has a rear opening.

Patent KR20090004543U discloses a pendant with a fingerprint ornament with a pin which is inserted in a frame with a first housing and a second housing wherein the second housing is used to help removing the ornament from the housing by inserting a pin in the back of the first housing.

The main disadvantage of the known jewel support device lies in the fact that the jewel is supported and locked in correspondence with the stem by only the elastic element interposed between the bulge of the stem and the body of the jewel: this locking is often loosened as the bulge and the jewel itself contact with clearance the O-ring and are therefore subject to unwanted displacements and movements. In other words, the jewel is not firmly and securely fixed to the support device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to propose a removable jewel support device in which the jewel is firmly anchored to the device itself.

Another object is to propose a device in which the jewel is removable and therefore interchangeable with ease and practicality, while at the same time maintaining a firm safety anchoring of the jewel to the device capable of avoiding unwanted detachment and therefore loss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are below highlighted with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partially sectional side view of the device object of the present invention in a support condition of a jewel removably fixed thereto;

FIG. 2 illustrates a partially sectional and exploded side view of the components of the device and of the jewel illustrated in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the device of FIG. 1 in a condition of detachment of the jewel from the device;

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged front view of a cover of the device of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged front view of a block of the device of FIG. 1 ;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the device of FIG. 1 respectively in an unlocked condition and in a removal condition of the jewel from the device.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 to 5 , numeral 1 indicates the removable jewel support device comprising an ornamental element 3 commonly and mainly consisting of one or more elements, also combined together, which are selected among various materials, for example precious stone, pearl, precious metal element (gold, silver, platinum, etc.), or less valuable materials (copper, brass, silver laminates, steel, etc.). The combination of the device 1 and jewel 2 defines both jewelers and costume jewelry.

The jewel 2 consists of the ornamental or decorative element 3 and a hooking element 4 provided with a stem 4 a and a bulge or bulb 4 b. The ornamental element 3 is locked to the hooking element 4 in a known way, for example by gluing, welding or supported by staples. It is also provided that the ornamental 3 and hooking 4 elements are preferably of the same material, for example gold, silver, platinum or steel.

In the preferred embodiment, the device 1 essentially consists of a base 10 having a first housing 5 made in an almost central area which has a front opening 6 and a rear opening 8.

The base 10 provides a second housing 9 which externally surrounds the first housing 5 and which is intended to accommodate the jewel 2 inside it, even partially.

The device 1 also comprises a fixing element 11 which is constituted by a cover 11 a provided with a front hole 12 a and a hollow block 11 b with front opening and provided on its back with a rear hole 12 b.

An elastic ring or O-ring 7 is housed inside the internal cavity of the hollow block 11 b, while the cover 11 a is arranged on the front opening 6 of the block 11 b so that the O-ring 7 is locked inside the fixing element 11, so that the axis of the hole of the O-ring is almost axial with the axis of the front 12 a and rear 12 b holes.

The fixing element 11 is cylindrical and is locked into the first housing 5 by embedding and/or gluing and/or welding and/or interlocking.

A variant, not illustrated, of the device 1 provides to produce a plurality of first housings 5, each assigned to house a respective fixing element 11. Obviously, the hooking element 4 will provide corresponding stems for coupling with each respective fixing element 11.

The device 1 also provides a support element 13 protruding from the edges of the second housing 9, preferably fixed at the sides of the base 10 and assigned to allow for the suspension of the device 1 to a jewelry or costume jewelry element chosen, for example, among a chain, a necklace, a ring, a latch element, a pendant, etc.

The second housing 9 has a substantially cylindrical or preferably straight prism shape.

The use of the device 1 for defining the jewel provides that the fixing element 11 is inserted in the first housing 5 of the base 10 in an assembly condition A in which the stem 4 a is inserted into the fixing element 11 passing from the front hole 12 a, through the O-ring 7 and the rear hole 12 b, until the bulge 4 b protrudes, even partially, from the rear opening 8 in correspondence with a support condition S of the removable jewel 2 by the device 1.

In the support condition S, the front hole 12 a, the rear hole 12 b and the rear opening 8 are coaxial through holes and therefore arranged on the same axis as the stem 4 a.

In this supporting condition S, the jewel is firmly anchored to the base 10 since the stem 4 a, the bulge 4 b and the attachment portion of the stem 4 a to the bottom of the hooking element 4 are in close contact with the internal walls of the O-ring 7.

Furthermore, the jewel 2 is further locked to the base 10 because it is partially housed in the second housing 9 and it is practically embedded or in any case firmly locked therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the device 1 further comprises a jewelry accessory 14 assigned to contact the bulge 4 b to allow for the latter to be pushed beyond the O-ring 7 in the passage of the device 1 from the support condition S to a removal condition R thereof from the device 1.

It has been advantageously shown that the jewel 2 is both removable from the base 10, thus being interchangeable, and firmly locked to the jewel support device in the support condition S. 

1) A removable jewel support device, with the jewel essentially consisting of an ornamental element (3) supported by at least one hooking element (4) provided with a stem (4 a) and a bulge (4 b); the device (1) comprising at least a first housing (5) for accommodating an O-ring (7) to lock the stem (4 a) in a support condition (S) of the jewel (2) by the device (1); said device (1) further comprising: a base (10) having the first housing (5) which bears a rear opening (8) and which is externally surrounded by a second housing (9); a fixing element (11) having a front hole (12 a) and a rear hole (12 b) and having the O-ring (7) enclosed inside. said fixing element (11) residing in the first housing (5) of the base (10) in an assembly condition (A) wherein the stem (4 a) is inserted into the fixing element (11) so as to pass from the front hole (12 a), through the O-ring (7) and into the rear hole (12 b) until the bulge (4 b) protrudes, at least partially, from the rear opening (8) in correspondence with the support condition (S) of the removable jewel (2) by the device (1). 2) The device according to claim 1, wherein the removable jewel (2) is housed, at least partially, in the second housing (9). 3) The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one support element (13) protruding from an edge of the second housing (9) configured to suspend the device (1) from one chosen among chain, necklace, ring, latch element, pendant. 4) The device according to claim 1, further comprising a jewelry accessory (14) configured to contact the bulge (4 b) to push the latter beyond the O-ring (7) to pass from the support condition (S) by the device (1) of the jewel element (2) to a removal condition (R) of the jewel element from the device (1). 5) The device according to claim 1, configured so that the front hole (12 a), the rear hole (12 b) and the rear opening (8) are coaxial through holes in the support condition (S). 6) The device of claim 1, wherein the fixing element (11) consists of a hollow block (11 b) and a cover (11 a) configured to close the front opening (6) of the block (11 b) to allow for containment of it the O-ring (7) within the block. 7) The device of claim 1, wherein the fixing element (11) is cylindrical and is locked in the first housing (5) by one or more of embedding, gluing, and welding. 8) The device of claim 1, wherein the second housing (9) has a substantially cylindrical shape or a straight prism shape. 9) The device of claim 1, wherein the removable jewel (2) consists of one or more elements selected among precious stone, pearl, precious or non-precious metal elements to which the hooking element (4) is fixed. 